


Ki te Mana o Naianei

by BluBooThalassophile



Series: HfaB Universe [29]
Category: Aquaman (2018), Aquaman (Comics), DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Family, Family Drama, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-10-01 03:43:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17236745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BluBooThalassophile/pseuds/BluBooThalassophile
Summary: The day Princess Mareena was born was a day the family came together almost perfectly.





	Ki te Mana o Naianei

“Keep the Triton up!” he shouted at the younger boy.

“It’s heavy,” A.J. whined. The bleached blonde hair and blue eyes were defiant, but the kid was a kid; he was ten and there were other things to do that were more interesting. Garth chuckled a bit as he floated there.

“It’s supposed to be heavy,” Garth informed his younger brother. A.J. frowned as he looked at his grandmother’s re-forged triton, the weapon was larger than A.J. but lessons needed to start young. A.J. was first in line for the throne, and after his kidnapping as a toddler by a surface dweller had nearly killed him, if Robin hadn’t found A.J. when he had, Garth shuddered to think what would’ve happened to his little brother. He wasn’t strong like Dick who could shoulder that loss, and since then they had focused on keeping A.J. trained and prepped.

“You also have a sister to defend,” a new voice joined them then as Kaldur made himself known in a fluid burst of speed.

“A sister!?” A.J.’s face twisted in disgust.

Garth chuckled as he clapped his little brother’s shoulder a bit. “So Mera’s finally had that baby,” he mused.

“Yes, I have come to get you,” Karldur said excitedly. The level-headed teen rarely had emotions to express so Garth saw this importance as he took Atlana’s triton from A.J.’s hands.

“Come on.” Garth nudged A.J. along. “It’s time to meet your sister,” he grinned.

“Koryak doesn’t like me, I bet she’s no different,” A.J. reasoned.

“Well Koryak has eel’s breath,” Garth countered. Garth didn’t particularly like Koryak. Since Koryak’s arrival he had been surly, temperamental, and headstrong, just about every angry aspect of Arthur. It was frustrating, because Koryak was uncooperative too, which was another stress with him here trying to force a bond and ‘replace’ Garth; which just wasn’t going to happen.

A.J. snickered at the insult.

“Besides, sisters are cool, not like brothers,” Garth said.

“You’re sure about that?” A.J. asked him skeptically.

“Yeah, Dick said so, and Dick has WAY more siblings than anyone else I know,” Garth chuckled.

“Who’s Dick?” A.J. asked innocently which had Garth sobering. No one outside of the JL was even aware of Arthur Jr.’s existence, Atlantis had purposely fought to keep the secret after A.J.’s abduction. And though Batman had pushed that all sidekicks go to the Titan’s for training, Arthur and Mera had venomously fought against it, Garth and Kaldur had even helped fight that. A.J. might be a Titan, one day, but today he was a Prince of Atlantis, and he would learn to rule before he was a hero.

“When you get older I’ll take you to the surface and let you meet him. Dick’s a Titan.”

“A useless surface dweller,” A.J. decided.

“Hey, no judging the surface until you’re there,” Garth warned.

“I will refrain,” A.J. said in his Mera ‘I’ve already made up my mind, you will never change it’ tone.

“Oh I can’t wait for you to meet Damian,” Garth decided.

“Who’s that?”

“You’ll have to go to the surface and find out,” Garth shoved his brother a bit before bulleting through the water. The dazzling luminescent of Atlantis were bright as the people were waiting with a bated breath for the news of the new royal. People cleared way as Kaldur’ahm, A.J. and he made their way to the palace. He barely managed a very strained smiled when Tula appeared, grumpily with her halo of flaming red hair.

“You’re late,” she said as they entered the palace.

“Go,” he motioned for Kaldur’ahm to escort A.J. and he stood before Tula then. Things between him and Tula were complicated since she had faked her death There was a lot to say, a lot left unsaid and mistrust between them. He held Atlanta’s triton firmly. “You’re back.”

“My mission on the surface was a waste,” Tula said. “Humans will never cease their activities.”

“The ocean is life Tula,” Garth said with strain.

“I was instructed to give you this, from your Titan friend,” Tula stated. Garth took the transmission, and nodded as he darted into the halls. Garth saw Koryak and A.J. glaring at each other, and Garth sighed, he did, on some level, understand Koryak’s resentment about the entire situation, but it was getting old after a year and a half.

“It’s a girl,” Arthur was smiling when Garth entered.

“Finally,” he teased. “I was wondering when I’d get a sister!” Mera smiled a bit at him as he floated over her to see the carefully wrapped bundle.

First thing that stood out to Garth was that the kid had Arthur’s gold eyes, and tanned skin, but every delicate feature she had, that was all Altana. Minus the pale bioluminescent green hair, that was new, but he smiled.

“Mera, are you sure she’s yours?” he teased. Mera flicked him in annoyance, he snickered.

“Her name is Mareena,” Mera stated proudly. A.J. looked so besotted as he leaned over his baby sister in awe.

“Okay, sisters are cool,” A.J. decided with a smile. Arthur clasped his shoulder and Garth smiled up at his foster dad.

“Mareena, a befitting name,” Garth nodded.

Koryak glared as he said nothing. Arthur motioned for him to come along, Garth swam with Arthur then out of the room, taking to the higher levels of the palace.

“I heard you will be going to the surface.”

“I’ve heard rumors,” Garth chuckled. He knew what Tula had brought him, but as he hadn’t had a chance to look at it. He’d obviously go, Dick was his best friend, and it had been a while since he’d truly been on the surface.

“Take Koryak.” Arthur said it without reservation which had Garth’s head snapping over at his mentor.

“What?”

“He is becoming unpredictable, I do not wish to think the worse, but I will not take chance with A.J. or Mareena when he is like this.”

“You don’t honestly think…”

“I do not want to think it, but he is increasingly restless and short tempered,” Arthur said.

“I’ll take him to the surface, maybe the Titans can help him,” Garth muttered. Not that that was likely to happen. Koryak was a grown man and free to do what he pleased, but Garth saw Arthur’s genuine worries here. For the safety of all people here, and all the kids.

“Thank you.”

“You do know he just wants you to be his dad, right?” Garth asked.

“And I want to be his father, however his jealousy at you, A.J. and now Mareena,” Arthur sighed. “I do not know how to reach him, but perhaps he should bond with you. I do not want to choose, I cannot, you’re all my children, but he seems to want me to choose.”

“I get it,” Garth admitted. “I mean, when you took me in, you were barely king, Mera and you were just married, and I wanted all your attention all the time; no one had even talked to me before; you know, my eyes, so I wanted all your attention all the time.”

“Just… be his brother, Garth, I’m counting on you,” Arthur said softly.

“I can do that,” Garth smiled. “Oh, and A.J. hates the triton.”

Arthur barked a laugh then. “Of course, I hated it too when I was ten!”

**Author's Note:**

> I just saw Aquaman and I’m very in love with it! I love that Jason actually LOOKS like a man of the sea, he’s the first actor to actually embody Aquaman in my opinion; despite not having the comic look. But comics be damned, no one is more fitting for the role than Jason. I loved the plot; minus a few things, I loved the art, the animation, and all the love that clearly went into the making of that movie, so I’m in a very Aqua-family mood today! DCEU is slowly restoring my hope for DC’s movies with WW, Man of Steel, and Aquaman! =)


End file.
